Five Things To Know Today

1.  Today is Thursday, May 19.  Rain will continue on and off, with thunderstorms possible after noon, according to The National Weather Service. The high temperature will reach about 66 degrees, with a low of about 54 degrees expected tonight.

2.  Town Assessor John Philip says he will resign his position with the town of Groton effective June 10 to take a job with the City of Hartford. "It is with excitement and a bit of sadness that I write to inform you that I will be resigning my position. . ." he wrote in a May 17 letter to Finance Director Sal Pandolfo. "I want to thank you for all of the support you have provided me and for a truly enjoyable work experience these last 11 years."  Groton will begin immediately recruiting to fill the post.

3.  "A Time For Wine," a benefit for Child and Family Agency of Southeastern Connecticut, will be held from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. today at the Branford House on Shennecossett Road. The event includes a sampling of over 150 wines, hor d'oeuvres, live entertainment and a silent auction. Tickets are $35 at the door.

4.  Groton Public Schools will be working with a new achievement test called MAP, which stands for Measures of Academic Performance and tests students in math, reading language arts and science, Superintendent Paul Kadri said. The test is nationally-normed, so student progress can be measured against other students in the country. The test will replace assessments Groton is already using, so it will not be an additional test.

5.  Mystic Aquarium is launching a new seasonal advertising campaign called “New England’s Hands-On Aquarium,” to draw attention to the hands-on experiences the aquarium offers. The first part of the campaign leads up to Memorial Day and will start with television advertising, including spots on ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX networks, and cable shows like “Deadliest Catch.”  On June 20, the aquarium will expand its advertising into Rhode Island and Massachusetts.